The Hybrid
by doesitweighmorethanaduck
Summary: When an eccentric new race comes aboard the station, one diplomat taking DNA samples from Odo and Quark leads to a result that nobody could have expected, and one that will change their lives forever...
1. Chapter 1

_**Captain's log, stardate 2346.67. We have welcomed a new race to the station- the Snuzzelbians. First contact is going well, and they have been making quite an impact here with all of their interesting traditions. I'm hopeful that they will become our allies.**_

The Snuzzelbians were an interesting people. They got excited very easily, and when they did, they would let out a loud and grating shrieking noise and grip their large, bright red faces. There had been several complaints about it already, but it was apparently an involuntary reaction, so there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Jazi, a Snuzzelbian diplomat, sat across from major Kira at the replimat, perching on the table rather than sitting on a chair.

"What a gorgeous perfect space queen," Jazi trilled in her high-pitched voice. "I would die for this rage angel. Angel of rage but also of love. My waifu."

"Th-thank you…" Kira shifted uneasily. She wasn't sure what to think about the Snuzzelbians just yet. "So, um, why don't you sit in a chair?"

"I don't need a chair," said Jazi. "It's better to be higher up. But I could never be as radiant as you no matter where I sat!"

Then the excitable creature swung her neck around.

"It's the goo man!" she squealed. "Oatmeal man, come over here!"

Jazi was pointing at Odo. He hesitated before heading over.

"How's my favourite grumpy beige boy?" Jazi purred.

"I'm doing quite well, madam." Odo nodded to Kira. "I see the negotiations are going well."

Just then Snuzhi, the leader of the Snuzzelbians, jumped out from under the table. She held a hypospray in her mouth. Before Odo could react, Snuzhi jabbed it into his arm and extracted a part of his body. It reverted to its natural liquid state the moment it was separated from the rest of him, and Snuzhi grinned, showing off her stubby, round teeth.

"What was that for?!"

"I just needed to have a piece of this wonderful goo man for myself," Snuzhi said innocently. Then she ran off, clutching the hypo to her chest for a second before dumping the contents into a small container.

"Are you going to apprehend her?" Kira asked.

"No. What's the point?" Odo said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go check on Quark to make sure he's doing all right… I mean, to make sure he's not up to anything."

Quark stared at the container that the Snuzzelbian held out cautiously.

"Why do you want a sample of my blood again?" he asked.

"It is tradition for one to give a sample of their blood upon the first meeting with the _Shaimbarog_." That was the title that Snuzhi held as leader, and why she was the one to bear the name of the people. "Even this lovely horrible trash goblin must comply."

It seemed odd, but Quark held out his hand and Snuzhi dug her fingernails into it. Blood welled up, and she cackled. The drops of blood rolled off Quark's hand into the container she held out and landed. The container began to glow softly- first a sparkly beige, and then rainbow, flashing in conflicting patterns. Finally, a faint white shimmer surrounded the container, and when it stopped, sounds started coming from inside the container.

"This is now yours," Snuzhi said quickly, handing the container to Quark. "You need not give anything in return. When the grumpy goo man comes, tell him you saw nothing. Remember that, you lovably awful egg! Eheheh…"

Then she turned and hopped on the barstool she had been perched on and went over to Aerri, another one of her people. They started talking in shrill tones and then burst out in a simultaneous squeal. Quark wished they wouldn't do that in his bar. It disturbed the customers.

But as he would soon find out, he was about to have a lot more to worry about than customers.

The container resembled the bucket that Odo used to use, but it was adorned with all sorts of tacky gems and rhinestones. It was exactly the kind of aesthetics that Quark appreciated. But why would he need a bucket? He wasn't a changeling.

Well, it was probably not worth much, but it would be easy enough to pawn off to someone for more latinum than it was really worth. He stuffed it onto a shelf and went back to attending his bar.

Odo walked into Quark's at a leisurely pace. He would never admit it to anyone, of course, but investigating the criminal wasn't always the real reason he wanted to spend so much time with him. Besides, he had to make sure the weak little Ferengi wasn't busy getting himself killed every two seconds.

Of course, investigating illegal activity was still the main reason. And Odo was reminded of this when he sidled up to the bar where Quark was working and was surprised to hear a faint rattling sound coming from the shelf.

"What is that?" He pointed to a container that reminded him of his old bucket, but adorned with blingy garbage that was rattling back and forth.

Quark glanced at the container, and his eyes widened.

"I-I have no idea," he said. "It's something I picked up- legally, of course- and I have no idea what it does, but it looks nice."

"That depends on what you consider looking nice to mean," Odo grumbled.

"Well, I can tell you one thing for certain: I don't know why it's rattling like that," Quark said. It sounded like he actually meant it, too; he looked just as confused as Odo. "Let me take a lot at what's inside…"

He lifted the container off the shelf and peered inside. When he did, he inhaled sharply and almost dropped it. He held the container with shaking hands, staring down at its contents in disbelief. Then he slowly raised his gaze back up to Odo, who had no time for guessing games and wanted to know what was in the container right now.

He told Quark this, grabbing the container away and looking into it for himself. What he saw was a tiny, quivering lump of goo. It looked almost like a baby Changeling, but it looked wrong. It was sort of an orangey brown colour, and it was oddly lumpy. The blob wiggled around, and a small appendage rose up and wrapped itself around Odo's finger. _It wants me to link with it_ , he realized, so he did and was overcome with a wave of utter confusion and wrongness. Once the feeling of overwhelming confusion ebbed away, a single thought began to grow louder and louder within Odo's mind.

 _ **It is you.**_

 _What is me?_

 _ **It is you… that made me.**_

Startled, Odo ended the link and pulled away. He turned to Quark, certain that he had something to do with this but not sure how.

"It says I made it," he told him. "Care to explain?"

"Well, if that's the case, I couldn't have had anything to do with it," Quark said nervously. "So, you'll be going now, right?"

"Hmmph." Odo grabbed Quark's arm and dragged him out from behind the bar counter. "I'm going, all right, but you're coming with me."

 _ **He is me. Is he not? He is different from me. But there is somebody else. I can feel them. They are me? But also different. I am… both of them? But different.**_


	2. Chapter 2

The… whatever it was that was inside the container began to move around again. A shimmer of translucent rainbow colours shimmered and suddenly the container was empty and there was a round, sparkly stone in Odo's hand. He sighed.

"I must say, if this whole situation wasn't so confusing I'd be jealous of you," he admitted although he wasn't sure if it could hear him. "Considering you seem to have literally been born yesterday, you've certainly learned how to shapeshift quickly."

It had been 27 hours, 34 minutes, and 40 seconds since they had found the strange creature in the container. First Odo had brought it to Dax, who, after scanning it, had determined that it was definitely alive, and definitely had Changeling DNA, but it seemed to be some kind of hybrid. After doctor Bashir had looked it over, he'd said that it looked like the DNA of Odo and Quark had somehow combined somehow into this creature. It seemed unbelievable, but once Quark had admitted to having been convinced to letting a sample of his blood fall into the container, it made a bit more sense.

No doubt this had something to do with the sample of Odo's DNA that Snuzhi had taken. But having a little piece of one person come in contact with the blood of another didn't result in the birth of a new lifeform. Still, somehow in this case it had, and now Odo was doing his best to look after it.

The stone in his hand changed again, sliding out from between his fingers and taking the form of a bottle. Words appeared on the front of the bottle, slowly spelling out a message.

 _I want to go outside._

"Well, you could have chosen an easier way of letting me know that," Odo muttered. "You can always link with me if you want to tell me something."

The message changed; this time the letters on the bottle were larger.

 _I don't want to only be in here._

"Well, where do you want to be, then?"

The hybrid Changeling was a stubborn little thing, apparently. The bottle melted away and it lay on Odo's desk in its natural state for a few seconds before shifting into what looked like a head with large ears.

Was it supposed to be a Ferengi?

"If you want me to take you to see Quark, forget it." He turned back to his criminal report. "That no-good Ferengi would only be a bad influence."

To his surprise, this time he got a spoken reply.

"But I'm him too." The creature had formed a mouth that had no lips but had a row of tiny, sharp teeth. "You and him together-"

"No." Odo stared down the little head sternly. The little creature's learning rate was remarkable, but that didn't mean it could get away with whatever it wanted. "Quark doesn't know that you were formed by samples of our DNA merging. He doesn't even know you're a living being. As far as he's concerned, you ended up being a toy that moves around to amuse children."

The head formed eyes and a nose as well. It was a smooth face, but with a few lumps and ridges here and there. The eyes were black and hollow but ringed by dark circles, and there were a few pale strands of hair at the top of it. Then after a few hesitant seconds, an entire body formed beneath it, and a moment later a child dressed in a Bajoran security uniform wearing a pink vest was sitting on Odo's desk, kicking its feet impatiently.

"It's like this, you see?" It pointed down at the body it had just formed itself. "I'm both of you at once. So I've got to be able to see the other half of me."

Odo was stunned by the creature's shapeshifting capabilities. It had managed to take on the appearance of what it might look like if he and Quark were to actually reproduce- not that that subject was something that Odo had ever thought about, of course! It had taken Odo years to even attempt a humanoid form. Perhaps this creature's status as a hybrid was behind its accelerated growth and learning rate?

Still, impressively quick learner or not, this strange little hybrid creature was not actually the child of Odo and Quark. It was some bizarre anomaly that would require further studying. And it certainly had no reason to be hanging around a petty criminal.

The child that should never have existed was sitting on the desk. Rather than simple moving its facial features around, it shifted its face into an exaggerated frowning shape.

"If I can't see the other one, just show me other stuff," it pleaded. "I've gotta see other things! How am I supposed to get good at shapeshifting if all I can see is your stupid office?"

Demanding to see Quark of all people was one thing, but now the little ingrate was insulting him! Angry, Odo reached out and grabbed it by its arm.

"Don't talk to me like that," he spat, adding, "You don't even need to see Quark; you're starting to sound like him already."

"I wanna go out!"

With a forceful tug, the wrist that Odo was holding pulled away. The child was replaced by an eagle, which flapped its wings and flew away. _Well if that's how we're going to do things, so be it,_ Odo thought. He shapeshifted into a hawk and flew after the hybrid.

Quark hummed to himself as he washed a glass. Business had been slow that day, but at least there were no Snuzzelbians there. Those creatures were annoying even compared to his regular annoying customers. One good thing about them, though, was that they never complained. He could give them sewage water and they'd still squeal with bliss from being served by their "horrible garbage egg".

Other than that weird gunk that had turned out to be just a toy, nothing unusual had happened in a while. That was why Quark figured it had only been a matter of time when screams broke out in his bar as a large bird flew through it. It pointed its beak at Quark and dove at him. He ducked and the bird crashed into the shelf behind him, shattering several glasses.

It must have been Odo. But what did he want?

"Look, I don't know why you're after me, but I swear I haven't done anything illegal in at least a week!" Quark told the bird, batting at it as it flapped around his head. "Now if you'll please go away, I'm busy!"

The bird opened its beak and cawed. Then it changed form, becoming a child, and threw its arms around Quark.

"So you're the other one who made me!" the child exclaimed happily. "I like the way you look! It's not as scary as the big one."

"Made you? ...The other one?!" Quark blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

The child pulled away. Quark noticed that it looked kind of like him, but… smoother. And it had hair, too. In fact, it looked a bit like… Odo?

Suddenly a tentacle wrapped around the child's neck. They clutched at it, kicking the air. Odo stepped up from behind the counter, looking angry- but for once, not at Quark. The child dangled in the air in front of him, and he gently set it down but kept the appendage wrapped around its waist.

"If you'll excuse us, we'll just be going now," Odo said, shooting a stern glance at the child.

But Quark wanted answers.

"Not so fast, Odo," he called. "What is that kid? Is it a Changeling? Why does it look like me?!"

"It's none of your business," Odo huffed. He began to pull the child away. But Quark wasn't giving up that easily. He followed after Odo, walking quickly to match his pace.

"Does this have something to do with that weird container I found yesterday?" he inquired. "It does, doesn't it? See, you think I'm an idiot, but I'm clever, Odo. I'm on to you."

Odo stopped and turned, frustration flashing in his eyes. Quark took a step back, hoping the constable wouldn't yell at him. They bickered all the time, but when one of them got mad at the other for real it felt horrible. Still, Quark needed to know what was up with that shapeshifting kid.

"This is NOT OUR CHILD, Quark!" Odo snapped, his deep voice booming across the promenade. "Stay out of this! It doesn't concern you!"

"Not our child?" Quark cocked his head, confused. "Why would it be our child? We don't even have a child. Why would we have a child? We hate each other." Something occurred to him. "If you say this isn't our child, does this mean we do have a child that I don't know about?"

"Of course we don't have a child, Quark," Odo sighed. "I just… I just wanted to make it clear that you have nothing to do with this. Now, if you'll please just leave me alone…"

But in a flash of gaudy rainbow colours, the child slipped into a gelatinous form and slid out from Odo's arms. It retook the form of the weird Ferengi-Changeling hybrid, standing next to Quark now. Odo crossed his arms, but he sighed in defeat and didn't object.

"Fine," he grumbled loudly. "I'll tell you all I know about this creature so far. Come to my office and don't ask too many questions."

Quark nodded apprehensively. He followed Odo, the strange child trailing behind him, its blank expression drilling into the back of Quark's head. It was unnerving, to say the least, but that seemed to be the smallest concern surrounding the thing's existence.


	3. Chapter 3

"So, you're saying that this thing is a combination of our DNA?"

"Yes, Quark, for the fifth time, that is what I'm saying." Odo was getting more than a little impatient with being asked the same questions over and over. "And for the last time, no, I don't know what I should do about it yet!"

Quark glanced at the hybrid child, which had taken on the form of an Earth animal called a dog and was curled up asleep on Odo's desk. The creature had flitted, bounded, and paced around the office for hours before eventually tiring itself out and going to sleep. Normally Changelings didn't need to sleep, but since this creature also had solid DNA, it worked differently from a pure-blooded Changeling.

"So, um… what's this thing's name?" Quark asked.

Odo blinked surprised by the question.

"It doesn't have a name," he explained. "It didn't occur to me to give it one. After all, it's merely the result of some scientific mishap."

Now that Odo thought about it, though, maybe he should name the creature. He wasn't very good at coming up with names, but this thing deserved one, whatever it was. He didn't want to be like Dr. Mora, who had simply labeled Odo as "Unknown sample".

"Well, it's a hybrid, right?" Quark was muttering. "So how about… Hibby?"

Odo snorted.

"I don't think so, Quark." But what would be a good name? "Perhaps we should ask the creature what name it wants."

"Well, if it's a combination of our DNA, maybe we should call it a combination of our names," Quark suggested. "Something like… Odark? No, that doesn't sound right. Oh, I know! How about Quodo?"

Odo ignored Quark's prattling. Picking out a name was one thing, but deciding to pick out a name in the first place suggested that this child would be remaining in their custody. He knew that sometimes certain species would look after one another temporarily before finding those they looked after a permanent home. These people would often be warned not to get too attached to whoever or whatever they were looking after, because they'd be leaving them sooner or later. Would that be what would happen with this hybrid? Well, it was clearly sentient, so destroying it was out of the question. But Odo didn't have the time to look after a child, and Quark couldn't be trusted to do so either.

On his desk, the creature stirred. It got to its paws and shook itself out. Then it hopped off the desk, turning back into a humanoid form as it did so. It landed on bootclad feet and grinned, its pointy teeth poking out of its mouth. Odo wished that the creature would use a different humanoid form other than the one it had created that looked like what it was- a mix between Odo and Quark. It was uncomfortable looking at that pale, yellowish face and being reminded that this thing was a hybrid that never should have existed.

"Hello, ones who made me!" the child said in an irritatingly chipper tone. "What were you discussing? It was about me, wasn't it?"

"We were trying to figure out if you should have a name," Odo told them.

"What's a name?"

"A name is what you call yourself," he explained. "For instance, my name is Odo. His name is Quark."

The child nodded, but they still looked confused.

"Why would I need a name?" they asked. "I can be anything. If I had something that everyone could call me, it would mean that I was always just myself, even if I turned into somebody else." They hesitated, chewing on their lip. "But if I was going to have a name, I guess it'd have to be something cool. How about Alda? That has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

Alda… it seemed like a random choice, but somehow it seemed to fit. Odo nodded approvingly. It would do.

Alda grinned. Then they suddenly skipped off without even asking if it was okay first. Hoping that Alda wouldn't go getting themselves into trouble, Odo got up and followed them, gesturing for Quark to come with him.

They found Alda quickly enough, leaning over the rails on the promenade and shouting out to the crowds below.

"Hey, look, everybody! I've got a name now!" they cried. "I've got a name! Isn't that cool?!"

There were a few murmurs of "how sweet" or "my, what a cute child!" or even "huh! You'd think their parents would keep a better eye on them" from passerby. Odo watched for a moment, Quark standing beside him. He supposed that in a way Alda really was their child, or at least the closest there would ever come to it.

That still didn't mean Odo was planning on raising this child with Quark, though. That was something that no sane person would ever want to do.

Alda scrambled up over the railing, balancing on it for a second before falling off. They turned into a bird and flew low over the promenade, circling around and doing a few flips. A few of the solids seemed bothered by it, but Alda didn't care about them. When one was more or less all-capable, it was hard to care about other people.

The two who had made him were the only ones Alda cared about. The ones who had scanned and studied them and sometimes spoke over the badge on Odo's uniform were annoying. Whenever one of those electronic voices would come ringing into the room, Alda would hide in the corner. They didn't want to interact with anyone other than their creators. It seemed pointless that so many people would even exist.

Alda dove toward the floor headfirst, transforming in midair and landing as a ball that rolled around for a while. Then they noticed a shop that was selling flowers and got an idea… Alda snuck up onto the display rack and became a flower, hiding among a bouquet. Soon enough, a young woman showed up and talked to the owner of the flower shop for a while. She spent a long time looking at all the different bouquets. Hoping the woman would select them, Alda slightly increased the size and brightness of their petals, but the woman walked past them and picked out a different bouquet.

That was no fair! How was Alda supposed to play a prank if nobody was going to buy their bouquet? Frustrated and too impatient to wait for somebody else to buy them, Alda reverted to their liquid state and rose out of the vase they were hiding in. The glass shattered around them, and the shopkeeper screamed, knocking over several other flower arrangements in his panic.

"Help!" the shopkeeper cried. "I'm being attacked by a Changeling!"

Cries of shock and terror broke out everywhere. Many pairs of eyes fixed on Alda, who quickly took on the form of a generic-looking Bajoran man and started running. People chased after them, many of them calling for security. Alda quickened their pace, morphing their face repeatedly to throw people off. They ran down a corridor with a lot of doors. This must have been the habitat ring. Alda saw somebody walking into one of the rooms, and they quickly ducked inside after them, hopping up on an endtable and becoming a lamp.

 _I'm safe_ , they thought with relief.

Then the man who had just walked into the room turned around, and Alda recognized Odo's signature condescending smile. Alda knew they might as well just give up now, so they turned back into their favourite form- the child whose face was a cross between those who had made them- and sat on the endtable, gazing down at the floor in shame.

"You're so mean," they muttered, trying to mimic the solid gesture of pouting. "I was just trying to have fun."

"Well, you very well might have been having _fun_ back there, Alda, but all those poor people you frightened certainly weren't!" Odo scolded, raising his voice. Alda flinched; they didn't get why Odo was mad at them. "The Changeling threat is something that all of us have had to deal with for a long time now, and everyone in the quadrant has been looking out for them! What if somebody had fired on you?! You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"Yeah, but-" Alda began.

"No 'buts'!" Odo interrupted. "You have to learn to act responsibly. What were you doing tormenting some random florist, anyway?"

"I was gonna play a prank on some dumb solids," Alda explained, snickering despite themselves at the thought of their plan. "I was going to let one of them buy the bouquet I was in and take me back to their quarters to give to their lover, and then I was gonna pop up and surprise them!"

"Well, I hope you've learned your lesson," Odo huffed. "Don't go pulling pranks like that again, or there will be consequences."

"Okay," Alda grumbled, although they knew perfectly well that they weren't going to listen. What was the point of being a shapeshifter if you couldn't have a little fun with your powers?

Just then the door slid open again, and Quark walked in, clutching his chest nervously.

"Is he okay? Did you find him?" he was asking.

"If you're talking about Alda, then yes, I found _them_ ," Odo answered. "If they don't want to use gendered pronouns, we should respect their choice." He nodded awkwardly. "But yes, they are perfectly fine. Don't worry."

"I'm so glad," Quark sighed. He faced Alda. "Now, you listen to Odo. I don't want you to go running off on me again! I was so worried."

"You were worried? Hah!" Odo put his hands on his hips. "What, were you planning on making some profit off of Alda somehow?"

"What? No," Quark said innocently. "Well, maybe I was thinking of doing that, but…" He glanced at Alda. "I just don't want anything to happen to the poor kid. We are technically his- sorry, their- parents, after all."

Alda watched curiously as Quark tentatively reached for Odo's hand, expecting him to pull away. But Odo didn't object.

"Come on," he said, nodding to Alda. "Let's go."


	4. Chapter 4

After the incident on the promenade, many people had come complaining to Captain Sisko- no doubt because they were too intimidated to complain directly to Odo. Ben knew that nothing good could have come from combining the DNA of Odo and Quark, but he couldn't just say that to the Constable. Alda was clearly very important to him.

But something had to be done about it. Ben called a meeting at eighteen hundred hours the next day. Now, as he looked at his senior staff gathered around the table, he heard bickering from outside the door.

Odo walked in, followed by Quark a moment later, which garnered a few raised eyebrows. Quark was wearing a sort of pouch strapped to his chest. Inside was what looked like an orangey-brown puddle laced with specks of shimmery rainbow colours. It sloshed around as Quark walked.

"Look, Odo, all I'm saying is that this kid is my child just as much as it is yours," Quark was saying. "If this meeting is being held to discuss what to do with them, I have a right to be here too."

"It's a meeting for the senior staff, Quark," Odo grumbled. "You're not senior staff. Now would you please take Alda and leave?"

"But what if they want to do something to them that I don't approve of?" Quark looked genuinely worried about the hybrid creature. "Wh-what if they think Alda is a threat to the station's safety… and try to have them thrown out an airlock or something?! I have to be there to make sure that doesn't happen!"

"I'll be there," Odo told him, his voice softening somewhat. "If anyone so much as mentions destroying Alda, I'll make sure they regret it."

Quark hesitated, but he nodded, stepping out of the conference room.

Everyone was staring at Odo. He snapped his head up and stared at them as if to say, "well, do you have a problem with that?" Silently, he walked over and took his place at the table.

"All right, now that we're all here, let's get started." Ben cleared his throat. "Now, let's make one thing clear: I agree with Odo. We will not destroy this life-form. However, I think some actions need to be made to ensure that people can feel safe on this station. Alda may be young, but they are still a very powerful creature."

"Maybe we should increase security until Alda learns more about self-control," Dax suggested.

Ben nodded. "That's a good idea."

"Captain, I don't understand why you want to keep the creature on the station," Worf objected. "It was created by the Snuzzelbians. When they leave next week, we should send it back with them."

"I had considered doing that," Odo admitted. "But Alda clearly thinks of Quark and I as their parents. We can't just send them away."

"So if you two are the parents, who's going to have custody?" Chief O'Brien mused. "Or are you going to live together?"

"Chief, that's not an appropriate question," Ben said sharply. "When it comes to the custody of Alda, they can figure that out on their own. Now, as for increasing security… if we make it seem like we're scared of Alda, it might just make people more uneasy. I'd recommend having a couple of officers follow Alda around wherever they go- but have them hang back a bit so Alda doesn't notice them. And if things get too out of hand…"

 _What are they talking about right now?_ Quark tried to focus on mixing drinks for his customers, but he was worried about the decisions the senior staff was making. _Sure, Odo said he'd make sure they don't try to hurt Alda, but he's only one man. He's a great man, of course- not that I'd ever tell him that- but if he's outvoted Alda could end up being labeled as a danger and get thrown in the brig or worse!_

"Weren't you listening, bartender?" a Klingon customer growled. "I said I wanted blood wine!"

Quark snapped back to attention. Alda may be important, but pleasing his customers was his priority as a bartender.

"Coming right up," he muttered.

At least Alda made a good employee. They ran back and forth, sprouting multiple arms to carry more trays to waiting customers at once. Quark knew Odo wouldn't approve of getting Alda to work for him, but the kid didn't seem to mind. They were starting to ask for payment, though.

"Move aside, move aside!" Alda shouted to a Bajoran couple, running right toward their table. "Get out of the way!"

The couple stood up, scrambling away from their table right before Alda crashed into it, knocking it over. A glass fell onto the floor and shattered. Alda stretched out their arm to catch the table, but it just ended up crashing through the table. Wood splinters lay amongst the broken glass and spilled water. Customers stared at Alda, who stood sheepishly in the middle of it all.

"Whoops," Alda muttered.

Maybe they wouldn't be such a good employee after all. But there was no time to think about that now, because two security officers were walking into his bar, their phasers drawn. One of them nodded to his partner, who pointed hers at Alda. Looking scared, Alda tried melting into their natural state, but the male officer pointed his phaser at them too, following their movements.

What were these Starfleet personnel doing pointing weapons at Alda?!

Ignoring the complaints of customers sitting at the bar waiting to be served, Quark jumped off his stool and walked over to the officers.

"What do you think you're doing?" he demanded, trying to emulate the intimidating demeanor that Odo used to scare off weak-minded criminals, but it didn't seem to working for him. "Go point those things somewhere else. This is my bar, and I don't permit people to aim weapons at children in my bar!"

"I'm sorry, sir, but we've been ordered to keep an eye on the Changeling child," the male officer said, crossing his arms. "Captain's orders."

That couldn't be right. Besides, Alda wasn't hurting anybody. Of course, the officers' timing could have been a bit better, but still… knocking over a table didn't warrant having a weapon pointed at you, did it?

Quark told the officers this, but they didn't seem to care. Alda trembled on the floor. People in the bar were muttering nervously to each other, and a lot of people got up and left, many of them without having ordered anything. Normally Quark would have been angry that customers would leave without spending any money, but right now Alda was the most important issue.

"Look at what you've done now," he spat to the security officers. "You've scared away perfectly good customers. I hope you're happy."

"I told you, we're just following orders," the female officer snapped. "That's what you get for harboring a dangerous creature on the station."

"What, you think Alda is dangerous just because they're part Changeling? Does that mean you think Odo is dangerous too?"

"He could be if he wanted to be," the male officer pointed out. "This creature is too young to know any better than to attack people. We have to keep a close watch on it to make sure that doesn't happen."

On the floor, Alda began to slide away from the officers' feet.

"It's moving around!" the female officer cried. She shot at Alda, the phaser fire leaving a scorch mark on mere inches from them. In a brightly coloured shimmer, they became a tiny coin rolling across the floor. Good thinking- it made them a small target, and they could move quickly. Quark couldn't help but feel slightly proud that Alda had chosen to take on the form of currency in order to avoid the attack. But the officer kept firing! Her partner started too. If there had been anyone left in the bar before, they were leaving now.

Quark had to save Alda. But what could he do? He was so weak and pathetic. If only Odo were here; he'd have these officers in line before… but he was still at that meeting.

 _Meetings are one thing, but the life of our child is another_ , Quark thought. He grabbed a communication relay, practically throwing himself against the wall.

"Odo, you've got to get down here!" he cried frantically, tears welling up in his eyes. "They're firing on Alda! You have to help!"

 _"They're firing on Alda! You have to help!"_

The desperate voice crackled through the comm system. The staff exchanged alarmed glances. After coming to the decision that security officers should follow Alda around at all times, Sisko had ordered two low-ranking security officers to locate Alda and keep an eye on them, and to report back to him if there was any trouble. He hadn't said anything about using weapons against Alda.

Odo knew he had to go help. He hoped the others would understand. Getting up, he left the conference room and started running down the corridor, tapping his comm badge as he ran.

"I'm on my way," he said. "Just hang on."

He rounded a corner and ran into a throng of people swarming the upper floor of the promenade. They were clustering around Quark's bar, pointing and staring at what was going on inside. Odo pushed past them and entered the bar to see the two security officers that Sisko had sent, firing their phasers wildly around the bar, which was now in ruins. Alda darted around the room, rapidly transforming in midair, and hopping from platform to platform, narrowly avoiding each blast. In the corner crouched Quark, trembling and covering his ears, face tucked between his shaking knees.

"What's going on here?!" Odo demanded. "Ensigns! Stop firing on that creature at once!"

Ensign Berlitz stopped and turned around.

"But Constable, that thing was assaulting civilians!" she argued. "We were just trying to get the situation under control."

"Under control?!" The exasperation and outrage that Odo felt toward these officers was far stronger than that he felt toward the average criminal, but he kept his face in its typical sarcastic smile, although his voice was raised in anger. "I'd say you've done just about the opposite of that, haven't you?"

Berlitz stopped firing and lowered her phaser, looking apologetic and slightly frightened. But her partner, Ensign Oak, kept firing. One blast grazed Alda as they clung to the ceiling and they fell, their liquid body convulsing. Panic flashing through him, Odo extended his arm and grabbed them, pulling them in close protectively. Alda shifted and returned to their humanoid appearance, which now featured a phaser burn on their back and tattered clothing. But they were alive, and seemed to be okay for the most part.

Odo wanted to keep it that way. He faced Oak, not bothering to hide his anger anymore. Alda could have been killed.

"Get out of this bar!" he seethed. "And don't come back! I don't want to see either of you go anywhere near my child ever again!"

"Y-yes, sir," Oak stammered. He and Berlitz scrambled out of the bar. The crowd outside parted as they ran.

Now that Alda was safe, Odo looked around the bar and realized that Alda must have been the one to do most of the damage. Surely it had only been in self-defense, though. After all, Quark had said that the security officers had initiated the attack, hadn't he? But not quite… all he had said was that the officers were firing on them. He hadn't mentioned who had attacked first.

Speaking of Quark, he was still crouched trembling in the corner. Odo walked over to him and knelt down, gently laying a hand on his shoulder. Quark slowly lifted his head, his eye makeup running down his face in ugly black streaks.

"A-are they…?"

"Alda is fine," Odo told him. "They're hurt, but it's nothing major. Your bar, I'm afraid, is another story. I suspect your insurance doesn't cover this kind of damage."

Quark shook his head, but he was smiling. Odo couldn't help thinking that his little pointy teeth looked kind of cute… _no. Stop thinking such ridiculous things,_ he ordered himself. His relief for Alda's safety must have been making him delirious.

"Who cares about the bar?" Quark muttered, wiping away tears that left smudges on his jacket sleeve. "As long as Alda is okay, I'm happy. Just make sure to look after them, all right? I don't want this to happen again."

"I'll make sure it won't," Odo promised.

But he felt uneasy. While he'd been at that meeting, Alda had been put in danger. What if it had been a meeting about something else- like if an anomaly or alien predator was threatening to destroy the station? Would Odo have still left the conference room to go save Alda then? He told himself he wouldn't, but deep down he knew he would. And that was the thing about this child that he hadn't taken into account: they had become more important to Odo than his duties.

In his arms, Alda stirred. A pure Changeling would probably be in their liquid state right now, but as a hybrid, it seemed that Alda's humanoid appearance was more or less their default one. This would explain why this body had the burn on its back.

"I'm sorry for knocking over the table," they murmured. "I won't do it again; I promise…"

"It's all right," Odo assured them. Remembering something he'd seen solids do to their children, he stroked their hair gently but somewhat awkwardly. "You shouldn't have done that, but it didn't justify what those officers did to you."

"You'd better go back to your meeting," Quark sighed. "I'll keep an eye on Alda. If anyone else tries to come in here, I won't let them. In fact, you know what? I'll close the bar early. Making sure Alda doesn't get attacked again is more important than-"

He broke off, looking stunned at his own words, and quickly shut his mouth.

"…More important than what?" Odo inquired. He suspected he knew what Quark had been about to say, and wasn't above teasing the little bartender about it.

"M-more important than nothing, of course," Quark said quickly. "I mean, they're important, but it's not as if I'd put them above my business or anything! Profit is always the most important thing."

"That isn't very convincing," Odo smirked. "I think you were about to say that you value Alda's safety over making profit! You were, weren't you?"

Quark grumbled, his face red, but he didn't deny it. He looked away.

"It's okay," Odo sighed. "I've realized that I prioritize them higher than I thought too."

Suddenly Alda shuddered. Their face glistened, melting partway into a liquid state. Their body temperature fluctuated, growing fiery hot one moment and icy cold the next. A sickening sizzling noise hissed from their back. When Odo flipped them over to look, he saw that Alda's burn mark had somehow gotten worse. The back of their clothes, which should have been only an extension of their own body, had been burned away, and their pale skin was singed black and red.

"It hurts," they rasped. "Why does it hurt?"

"You were shot," Odo told them gravely. "But you're going to be all right. I'm going to take you to see the doctor."


	5. Chapter 5

Alda's vision blurred in and out of focus, clouded by the searing pain in their back. Several times, they'd tried changing shape, but the burn stayed no matter what form they took on, and shapeshifting a lot all at once was tiring. Alda had already done enough rapid-fire shapeshifting at the bar. Now they were too tired to bother, especially if it wouldn't make the phaser burn and the pain that came with it go away.

They were lying faceup on a surgical bed while Odo talked to the solid called Bashir. They were speaking in dark, worried tones while Quark paced nervously, biting his light blue fingernails _. His nails are light blue_ , Alda observed. _I should alter my form to include that detail_.

Alda wanted to listen to the conversation, since it was about them. But the words were too quiet. After a while, Odo bent over Alda and asked if it was okay for him to link with them. They nodded. Before the link was initiated, Alda tried to suppress the pain they felt. They didn't want Odo to be too worried about them.

 _ **What happened in the bar, Alda?**_

 _They came in and started firing at me._

 _ **Did you do anything to provoke them?**_

 _I only knocked a table over. I didn't think they'd get so angry._

 _ **How much pain are you in right now?**_

 _I'm okay. It doesn't hurt._

But Alda could feel Odo prodding past their claim of being okay. He knew that the burn on their back hurt a lot more than they'd been expecting it to. Alda broke away from the link and melted into their liquid form. The pain was still there, but when Alda didn't have a back for the burn to be located on, the pain was spread evenly throughout their body. That felt worse in a way, but also kind of better. At least it wasn't all bundled together in one spot.

In their natural state, Alda couldn't exactly see or hear, but they could sort of sense what was going on. They knew they were still in the Medbay. But they couldn't tell exactly what was happening. After what felt like a very long time, Alda felt themselves being picked up and placed into a soft, fuzzy pouch. They were given an injection and then carried out of Medbay.

It was warm inside the pouch. Alda drifted off, the substance that had been pumped into them causing the pain to subside slightly. They were feeling better already…

The artificial pouch had been borrowed (borrowed! Not even sold!) from Rom, who had used it when Nog was just a lobeling. Quark was grateful for the gift, even though Alda usually liked to sleep in any place but the pouch. He tugged absentmindedly on its fuzzy shoulder straps, worrying about the child's injury. Odo had promised not to let it happen again, but he'd already said he wouldn't let anyone hurt Alda in the first place, and he'd clearly failed at that.

As he'd been leaving, Quark had casually explained to Odo that he was going to "take Alda home" since they were apparently doing well enough to leave Medbay. But as he strolled through the corridors, it occurred to him that he had no idea what home would constitute for Alda. They were basically his kid, right? So Quark's quarters would probably be the best place to take them. But Alda had never even been to Quark's quarters, or Odo's quarters either for that matter- only the bar and Odo's office.

 _I guess that's what comes of having two working dads_ , Quark thought to himself dryly.

Well, he'd already closed the bar for the day, so taking Alda back to his quarters made sense. Once he was home, Quark slid the artificial pouch off, undoing the strap on the back, and laid it down on his couch before sitting down on his bed, sighing.

Oh, sure, Alda was recovering now, but what if Odo wasn't always able to protect them? A bartender and a security officer both had pretty busy jobs. They couldn't keep a child safe properly. They'd have to find somebody who could look after Alda while they were at work.

After a while, Alda slid out from inside the pouch and shifted around a bit on the couch without actually turning into anything. Even as an oddly coloured blob of goo, they still looked so unnatural- that shade of dull orange laced with streaks of random muted colours could only be described as an eyesore.

Quark wondered, not for the first time, how exactly Alda had been formed. He knew it had something to do with that Snuzzelbian who'd taken a sample of his blood, but what kind of chemical or device had taken the DNA of two completely different species and made it into a new lifeform? Quark couldn't even image the kind of prices a thing like that could sell for. It would be like a miracle for couples of incompatible species, or just infertile couples in general. But he knew he wouldn't be making any profit off of whatever had been behind creating Alda. Whenever he tried to do business with a Snuzzelbian, they screeched that they weren't worthy.

A few more hours went by. Quark kept a close eye on Alda, but no significant changes occurred- not that he could tell, anyway. Who knew with a creature like that? Quark had something to eat, wondering if he should get something for Alda as well. He'd heard that they were capable of eating but didn't technically need to, since they were part Changeling and part solid. But Alda didn't seem to want anything- again, not that Quark could really tell. They were still in their natural state.

At exactly 16:00 hours, Quark's door swished open. He glanced up to see Odo, who looked like he was hiding something behind his back. Quark got the idea he was doing this because Odo had morphed an extra arm coming out of his back that appeared to have an object in it.

"H-hello," Quark greeted him, caught off guard by his sudden arrival. "If you're wondering about Alda, there haven't been any changes that I can tell."

"That's good. But I didn't just come here for their sake." Odo walked over and sat down beside Quark, twisting around so that whatever was behind his back stayed hidden. "Looking after Alda can be tiring- I know from experience. I was going to suggest taking over for you, but you don't seem too tired, so I suppose that won't be necessary."

Quark stared at Odo, confused. Why was he acting so… nice? What was wrong?

"I've been thinking a lot about the nature of our relationship where Alda is concerned," Odo continued, looking serious and vaguely nervous. That was odd. What would he have to be nervous about? "Because of how they came into existence, there was never really any choice in the matter on our part. But the child deserves to be raised by two parents who both love them, and…" He broke off, gazing at the floor.

Suddenly Quark realized what Odo was getting at. He wanted them to raise Alda together- as a family! That was crazy. They hated each other! So then why was Quark's heart pounding so fast?

He tried to say this out loud- that Odo was crazy, and it would never work out- but all that came out was a high-pitched gurgle.

"I can see you're not too keen on the idea," Odo muttered. "Well, I don't want you getting any ideas about this, because I'm not either. This will be purely for Alda's sake. For the time being, at least, I think we should share quarters. Having both… parents, as it were… living together will help Alda have a healthier upbringing."

Just then, Alda finally shifted into something, taking on their usual humanoid form as they casually slid off the sofa. They smiled when they saw Odo.

"I'm glad you showed up," they said enthusiastically, sitting down on his lap and hugging him. "Quark is okay, but I don't like the way he looks at me. I don't like to shapeshift when it's just him with me- what's the point? He'd be impressed by anything I do."

"You sound like you've got your mind made up." Odo glanced at Quark pointedly. "How does he look at you, exactly?"

"I dunno," Alda muttered, shrugging. "Like I'm weird or whatever."

"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I think it would be a good idea for you to spend an equal amount of time with both of us," said Odo. "Quark and I have talked it over, and-"

"No we haven't!" Quark protested. "You came up with this stupid idea about living together all on your own, and in case it's not clear to you, I don't want anything to do with it!"

He was a businessman. He didn't have time for a proper family. Besides, Alda clearly didn't like him as much as Odo.

"Well, if you don't want Alda to have a well-adjusted life, who am I to tell you what to do?" Odo harrumphed, standing up. "I guess you won't be wanting these, then!"

He finally revealed what had been behind his back- a bouquet of beautiful flowers. He tossed it onto the floor, a few petals falling off from the impact. The bouquet lay droopingly on the floor of Quark's quarters as Odo turned and stormed out.


	6. Chapter 6

Odo knew he had no reason to be so frustrated. Of course Quark wouldn't have wanted them to live together. He didn't want it either! Besides, Alda could still be raised properly by one guardian, or two guardians who they were shuffled back and forth between. It would still be better than the childhoods of himself and many of his friends. It wasn't as if Alda would be living on a war-strewn planet, or being experimented on or otherwise abused. Compared to many people, they would have it easy either way.

But he had thought there was something developing between them. When Odo had stood beside Quark on the promenade, watching as Alda gleefully shouted their new name, he had felt like… a father. And, despite his initial opinions about Alda's ideal custody, he realized now that he wanted to share that feeling with Quark rather than fight over it. When Alda had gotten hurt at the bar, it had been a wake-up call. They needed to be protected, and having both parents around would make that easier.

While they had been in sickbay, Odo hadn't been able to stop thinking about the time he'd found the baby Changeling. He'd been so happy then. If he were to lose Alda the same way he'd lost the baby Changeling, he'd never forgive himself. This child had to stay alive.

Odo heard the patter of footsteps behind him. He recognized the clip of Quark's boots. He sighed; no doubt the bartender was running after him to give some half-hearted apology.

"I don't want to hear it, Quark," he said preemptively, not bothering to turn around. "If you'd rather fight over Alda's custody like a pair of recent divorcees, so be it."

"Um, actually, I changed my mind," Quark mumbled. His voice sounded a bit off- not as grating as usual. "I think it would be great if you moved in with me. Or I could move into your quarters, I guess. Either way would be cool."

That definitely didn't sound like Quark. Odo turned around and wasn't surprised to see that the face looking up at him- though an impressively close approximation- clearly didn't belong to Quark. A few wrinkles were missing, the skin tone wasn't quite right, and the top of the head was too smooth.

"I know it's you, Alda," Odo sighed. "That's a very good impression of Quark, though," he added. "Someone who didn't- unfortunately- know him so well might have been fooled."

"Thanks!" Alda's face changed back to the one they usually used. Then they sighed, their eyes dropping to the floor. "I was hoping you'd buy it. I really want you guys to just get along and live together."

"Get along? Me and Quark? Not likely," Odo scoffed. "I don't know what I was thinking back there. We could never live together. It just wouldn't work out."

Alda glanced back up the corridor, shifting uneasily.

"Would you believe me if I said Quark sent me to talk to you?" they asked hopefully.

Odo shook his head.

"Don't bother, Alda. It was a nice idea, but some people just aren't meant to have a family together."

Alda's existence was a blessing, but why had it had to be Odo and Quark, of all people? Why couldn't the Snuzzelbians have chosen someone else to combine his DNA with? Even if they were to move in together, all they would do was argue. It was just what they did. But Alda might not understand that. They could overhear Quark and Odo bickering and think they were really angry at each other, and get upset- or worse yet, they could be influenced by it, and try to develop their own relationships with insults.

Their own relationships… that reminded Odo that Alda hadn't interacted with many people yet. He should introduce them to some friends. Would Alda need an education, or would homeschooling be sufficient? They were technically only a few days old, but they looked and acted like a child of around eight to ten years.

"Um, by the way, can I stay at your quarters tonight?" Alda asked shyly. "I want to show you some shapeshifting tricks I've been trying out."

"Of course," Odo said. "You're welcome to stay with me any time."

Alda smiled. They ran off down the corridor, briefly turning into a small bird and flying part of the way. Then a group of Starfleet officers walked around the corner, whispering to each other with scared expressions when they saw Alda. When they noticed the officers, Alda took on a humanoid shape again, even going so far as to alter their appearance to try to look like a human.

As soon as they walked into Odo's quarters, Alda's eyes lit up. They ran their hands against the structures that Odo used to practice shapeshifting, their face full of concentration. In a burst of colours, they twisted around a large curving metal pole, getting up to the top and sitting there for a moment before sliding back down. At one point they formed a mouth just long enough to yell, "Watch this! I'm gonna do something cool!" Then they shifted into a humanoid shape- not their regular one that resembled a child, but an adult male- and added wings to the back. It resembled an angel from human mythology. Of course Alda wouldn't have known about that, but it was still a lovely transformation.

Odo clapped politely, hoping that the angelic form wouldn't soon become all too appropriate. Alda seemed to have recovered quickly from their phaser burn, but they might not be so lucky another time. Keeping them out of trouble was imperative; it was clear that the crew as a whole did not trust the child.

After a few minutes of trying out various shapeshifting tricks, Alda returned to the form they liked to use- but there was something different about it. The tufts of pale hair had been made into a full, flowing golden mane, and their hollow, dark-ringed eyes were now distinctively bluer. Alda had also changed their "outfit"; it was now a plain light brown robe- or was it a dress? - with a belt.

"Do you like this look?" they asked tentatively. "I wanted to try out a more feminine appearance after seeing the female solid at the bar. I don't know if I like it better or worse than the other version, but it's fun to try out new things."

"It looks nice," Odo approved. "I've never bothered to change the face I use, but if you want to experiment with different faces, I think it would be fine."

"Oh, good," Alda sighed. "I was worried you would think I wanted to call myself female now or something. I still haven't decided if I want a gender or not."

They certainly were brave to say how they really felt so confidently. Alda was a wonderful child. They learned quickly, and though they still had a lot to learn, it was baffling to think that anyone would ever want to fire unprovoked on such a creature. Maybe Odo ought to have a talk with those ensigns…

Ensign Oak had only been following orders. The captain had issued him and Berlitz to go keep an eye on the hybrid creature, and to take action accordingly. Well, it had been causing a commotion in the bar. Oak had only fired on it after it had tried to get away.

But Constable Odo didn't seem to understand Oak's reasoning. That was why the two ensigns were now sitting in a holding cell while the constable scolded them from the other side of the force field.

"You fired on a helpless child," he huffed. "Knocking over a table isn't sufficient reason to do that. Alda could have been killed."

"I'm sorry, sir, we didn't know that the hybrid was so important to you," Ensign Berlitz apologized. "We were only trying to keep the situation under control. When the creature started moving around, I panicked."

"Berlitz, I know you only transferred here a few weeks ago," said Odo. "I can excuse you for your actions. It's your colleague here that I'm concerned with. Oak, you have enough experience to know how to follow an order."

"I did follow orders," Oak insisted. "The creature was being a disturbance. Besides, all I did was point the weapon at it. I didn't actually fire until it began causing more damage. You saw it there! It was knocking things over left and right."

He realized his words rang hollow. Alda hadn't deserved to get hurt. But that didn't mean he was going to back down. To be honest, Oak didn't believe that the hybrid should even be allowed on the station. It was a freak of nature and a danger to everyone. But as long as Odo thought of himself as Alda's father, he would never see it the same way.

And speaking of people who saw themselves as Alda's father… a Bajoran security officer walked into the brig, guiding Quark toward another cell. When the bartender spotted Odo, he veered toward him. Oak expected the security officer to steer him back on course to a holding cell, but the officer let go of Quark's shoulder, letting him run over to Odo.

"Quark, what is the meaning of this? I'm busy interrogating these ensigns," Odo grumbled. "You might remember Oak here as the man who tried to kill Alda."

"Oh, I remember him, all right," Quark said quickly, sounding out of breath. "I'm sorry to turn up so suddenly, but I really need to talk to you. I set myself up for a fake arrest thinking you'd come to investigate me, but I can see you're already occupied."

"Hmmph." Odo glanced back at Oak and Berlitz, nodding curtly to them. Then he lowered the force field. "You're dismissed, ensigns. Just try to have better judgement next time."

Berlitz nodded, standing up. She speed-walked out of the brig; Oak followed her more slowly. He was curious about what Odo and Quark would have to talk about that was so urgent. But he didn't want to get in any more trouble, so he left before he could hear any more of their conversation than a whispered, "I've rethought what you suggested the other day, and now…"

What could that mean? Well, it was none of his concern. It was probably something about that hybrid again…


	7. Chapter 7

"Now, I know you took it personally when I said I don't want to live with you. Personally, I think you overreacted. But I've rethought what you said the other day, and now I really think it could be a good idea." Quark paused to catch his breath, watching Odo's face for any reaction. "Like you said, it could benefit Alda, and that's really the most important thing, isn't it?"

He had rushed down to talk to Odo as soon as he'd come to the decision. It wasn't that he really wanted to move in with Odo or anything, but he could see how much his refusal had hurt him, and besides, Alda's happiness was important, and they had made it very clear that it was what they wanted.

Odo didn't respond. He looked distrustful, as if he thought this was just some scheme to make profit. Quark could definitely understand why he'd think that, but he really did mean what he was saying.

"This isn't a trick," he assured him. "If I was planning to use this to exploit you, it would only make it easier for you to arrest me, because we'd always be closer together."

Odo still said nothing. He scrolled through a list of crime reports.

"Look, I thought this was what you wanted," Quark said, getting frustrated. "But if it's not, then could you just say so instead of giving me the cold shoulder like- like you always do?!" To his own surprise, tears sprung up in his eyes. It wasn't fair how Odo was always ignoring him! "Alda is our child! I don't care whether they were made by the Snuzzelbians; their existence proves that there's a connection between us. And I want you to at least acknowledge that this connection exists."

Quark looked hopefully at Odo, his face flushing from what he couldn't believe he'd just said. Odo took a step closer to Quark and gently put a hand on his cheek.

"You put it into words," he murmured.

"What? What did I put into words?" Quark gulped.

"What I wanted to say to you when I came into your quarters and brought up living together," Odo said, his gravelly voice softer than it ever had been when aimed at Quark. "Alda ties us together in a way that I never expected anything to. They might not be our offspring in the traditional sense- they might not have been the result of love between parents. But they are becoming the source of it."

"The source of…" If Ferengi hearing wasn't so good, Quark wouldn't have believed his ears. Heat spreading through his body, he whispered, "Odo, are you saying that you love me?"

"I said no such thing," Odo muttered, the grumpiness in his face clearly not genuine. He made no attempt to move away from Quark. "I only think that if Alda thinks their parents are close- which we are not- their later relationships may be healthier as a result."

"Yeah, sure, and latinum grows on trees," Quark said sarcastically. Then seriously, "No, really, Odo. You're always skirting around your feelings like the obnoxious idiot you are. But I want you to look me in the eyes right now and tell me something you really mean."

Odo opened and shut his mouth several times without saying anything. Finally, he grabbed Quark's hands and held them firmly, drawing in closer. By this point Quark's heart was hammering so hard that he thought it was about to leap out of his chest.

"I want you to move into my quarters," Odo told Quark, his voice low and quiet and so close that if he had been a solid, Quark would have been able to feel the warmth of his breath. But since he wasn't, all Quark felt was his own pounding heart and brightly flushed face. "Not just for Alda's sake, but also for mine. I want you to be my… partner, Quark."

Despite how flustered he was, Quark couldn't resist cracking a joke.

"Just so long as you don't mean your partner in crime," he purred, "because I'm innocent."

"Quark, you're the least innocent man I know," Odo murmured.

Then he kissed him.

Alda was getting restless. First Odo had left them with Quark again while he went to talk some sense into the Starfleet officers who'd fired at Alda at the bar. Then Quark had paced around the whole time, muttering to himself about making the wrong decision. Then he'd told Alda to wait while he ran off somewhere.

Well, Alda was waiting, but they were getting restless. Quark had made them tend the bar for him while he was busy doing whatever he was doing, and Alda was finding it too hard. Once a rather angry looking man had come in asking if Quark was there. Alda had told them he wasn't. They had left, leaving behind a case. When Alda looked inside the case, they found some weird light blue rocks. They put the case away in the back of the bar, assuming it wasn't anything important.

Alda decided they'd waited long enough. They stood up on the bar counter, forming a megaphone at the end of their arm so they'd be heard by everyone in the bar.

"I'm going out!" they shouted, earning a few startled jumps from customers. "If you need anything, talk to somebody else instead, okay?"

They knew their instructions hadn't been very specific, but they were in a hurry. They hopped down and took off, stopping only to ask the computer for Quark's location. They were alarmed but, considering what Odo had told them about Quark, not too shocked to hear that he was in the brig.

But when Alda got there, he wasn't in a holding cell. In fact, he was with Odo. They were pretty close together. Alda wondered why. What was the point of pressing mouths together like that? Was it an interrogation tactic?

"Um, hi," they called out apprehensively. "What are you guys doing?"

"Alda?!" Odo immediately broke away, turning halfway back into his liquid form for a moment out of surprise; Quark toppled over, sputtering. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see what you guys were doing." They shuffled awkwardly. "So, uh… what _were_ you doing?"

"I was just investigating Quark here," Odo said quickly, getting to his feet. "I have reason to believe he's been smuggling dilithium again."

"That was investigating me, huh?" Quark laughed, wiping something off his lips. "Hey, Odo, maybe if you investigated me like that a bit more often your job would be easier."

Alda didn't get what he was talking about, but they didn't really care what their parents got up to while they weren't around. It wasn't their concern that they looked so flustered.

"Actually, Alda, we do have some important news for you," Odo said, smiling at Quark. "We've decided that we are going to start sharing quarters after all. We believe it would be good for you to be raised under one roof, so to speak."

"What?" Alda grinned. "That's great!"

They had been hoping this would happen. Now the only question was whose quarters they'd be living in.

"Wait, why do we have to live at your place?"

Odo sighed. You'd think Quark would understand his reasoning. The sculptures in his quarters would help Alda to improve their shapeshifting, just as they helped him with his.

At least Alda seemed happy. They had turned into a large suitcase with wheels to help Quark move his belongings, and were rolling down the corridor on their own.

"You're absolutely sure that you want you give up your quarters?" Odo had double-checked with Quark that morning. "If you decide after one day of living with me that you don't like it, I'm not going to pull strings so you can get them back."

"Oh, it'll take some getting used to, but I'm sure I'll warm up to it," Quark had assured him. "Just look at how I've warmed up to you."

Now, as Quark began to unload his things, with Alda dutifully helping him, Odo was the one doubting the decision. He didn't really want a petty criminal living with him, did he? But it was too late to take it back now. He'd made up his mind, and this was the way things were going to be now.

Maybe living with Quark would make it easier to keep an eye on him. That was as good a reason as any for Odo to live with him, right? It certainly had nothing to do with their encounter in the brig the other day.

There certainly had been a lot of gossip about their decision to move in together. Nobody seemed to understand that it was a choice based purely on Alda's well-being. That was what it was based on, of course. But even Alda themselves didn't really seem to see it that way.

"So, what made you guys start liking each other?" they chirped now as they helped Quark unpack.

"We don't like each other," Odo told them. "This is only to help you."

"Oh, okay."

"Don't listen to him," Quark muttered to Alda, just loud enough that Odo could hear. "That man loves me. It's written all over his back."

"Hmmph."

"So," Alda said once they were finished unpacking, "I've got this holo-imager here, and I was thinking maybe we could take a picture of the three of us to remember this by. It's a pretty big event, after all."

It was a decent idea. Odo reluctantly stood beside Quark while Alda set up their holo-imaging device. Then they rushed over and stood between Quark and Odo, grinning. Quark nudged Odo and nodded to his hand. What did he want him to do with his hand? Oh, of course. Odo placed his hand on Alda's shoulder.

The holo-imager flashed, but Alda formed a sign on their chest a moment before it went off saying "I 3 my two dads" and Odo insisted they retake it. He didn't want even more rumours about his relationship with Quark to start up if the picture got around, which he didn't doubt it would.

The second time, Alda behaved themselves, but just as the holo-image was being processed, Quark took Odo completely by surprise when he grabbed his hands and jumped up to kiss him. Odo yanked himself away, but he stumbled. He fell on his back with Quark on top of him. Alda was bent over laughing, but Odo didn't see what was so funny. He especially didn't see what was funny when Quark bent down and gently kissed his nose.

"Get off of me, you criminal," Odo sputtered. It didn't even occur to him to revert to a pile of goo so Quark would get off.

"We are going to be living together, aren't we?" Quark said innocently. "I think we'd better get used to situations like this."

Odo grumbled, but stayed put while Quark rolled off of him, giggling and red-faced. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alda running over to the holo-imager and pointing it at him and Quark.

"Don't you dare take a picture of us," he warned.

"Okay, I won't," said Alda, taking a picture anyway.

By that time the next day, twelve different people had asked Odo about the picture. Every time he had claimed that it had been altered.


	8. Chapter 8

Quark stared at the holo-image, blushing despite how absurd it was to blush at something like this seeing as how things were now. He still didn't know what had come over him then, but whatever it had been, it must have worked, because Odo had referred to Quark as his "partner" when introducing him to a new alien race earlier that week. Quark's only regret was that they were still just partners and not yet husbands, but it was enough for Alda, and that was obviously the only reason they had been living together for the past year.

Next to him, Alda fidgeted. It was odd in a way that their appearance hadn't been gradually altering over the course of that year, but since they had taken on a form of a child of several years at only a few days old, maybe they were just waiting for their "real" age to catch up to their appearance before changing it.

"Are you sure you want me on your staff?" Alda muttered. "Remember what happened the last time I tried waiting tables?"

"Oh, you're going to do great," Quark assured them. "Besides, even if you do mess up, I doubt that anybody's going to try to kill you this time."

Alda still looked nervous, but they smiled. They had decided that they wanted to help out somewhere, and after a brief moment of terror when Quark had thought Alda would be like Nog and want to join Starfleet, they had clarified that they wanted to help out Quark by being a worker at his bar. That was a relief, and not only because it showed they were loyal to him; Quark's hadn't been doing very well financially.

Living with Odo made it a lot harder to prevent him from finding out about schemes, and that man certainly could be irritating… every now and then Odo would demand that Quark give his workers raises, or something equally absurd. Then, almost like an exercise of his powers of persuasion, he'd get all romantic as an effort to bribe Quark into agreeing. It was hard to say no to the man who had spent all afternoon preparing a lovely dinner of tube grubs for you.

Alda understood Quark's problems, and they had said that they didn't want to be paid at all for their work, and that they would enjoy it as long as it was a service to others. Besides, what would Alda need with money? The sentiment had been far too earnest and wholesome for Quark's liking, but it seemed that Alda had Odo's sense of practicality.

They had his unsettlingly smooth skin, too, and Quark considered asking them to change that so as not to disturb customers, but if Alda wanted to look that way, who was he to stop them?

"Well, it looks like it's opening hours," Quark said finally. "Are you ready for your first day on the job, Alda?"

"I think so."

"In that case, let's not waste any time here."

As soon as the doors slid open, Morn lumbered in as he always did. Alda seemed intimidated by the Lurian, but they didn't let it show too much, and delivered him the drink he ordered in good time, but without using their shapeshifting to make it as fast as it could have been.

By around noon, Alda was beginning to look tired, but they didn't complain. The only problem was that when they got tired out they started to get a bit… melty. Alda's yellowy skin turned translucent, and a few blobs of glittery orange goop dripped onto the floor.

"Why don't you take a break?" Quark suggested to Alda when a drop of their body fell into the Black Hole they were preparing.

"I'm okay," they panted. "You don't give the rest of your workers breaks, so you don't have to give me one either."

"I've given them breaks before," Quark said defensively.

"That was only because they made you," Alda reminded him. "Odo told me you got beaten up because of it and he had to come save you."

That was true, but Quark preferred not to talk about it.

"The rest of my workers don't turn halfway into a liquid when they get tired," he said instead. "Besides, you are technically family. I can make an exception for you."

"No way," Alda insisted. "I can keep working!"

"Get into your bucket and regenerate for a few minutes," Quark said firmly. "In this state, you pose a health risk, and I don't want that! Resume work when you're not leaving drops of yourself all over the place."

"Well, that's something I never thought I'd see," a gravelly voice behind Quark muttered. "You actually wanting your employee to get some rest!"

Odo had shown up, carrying a shopping bag. Alda's face lit up the moment they saw him.

"Odo's here!" they cried happily. "How come you came here? You don't drink, right?"

"I was just stopping by to see how you were doing on your first day at work." Odo nodded to the uniform that Alda had formed for themselves, "QUARK'S" emblazoned across the front in big letters. "It may not exactly be the establishment I would have picked for you to work at, but if it's what you want to do, I can't tell you not to."

"Alda is doing great," Quark informed him, feeling proud of them despite himself. "So, uh, what's in the bag?" he added curiously, leaning over so he could see.

"It's nothing," Odo said gruffly, pulling the bag away. Then he grumbled to himself, suddenly looking a bit gooey himself. Then he composed himself and placed the bag down on the countertop. "…It's just that earring you were looking at the other day. I could tell you couldn't afford it, so I bought it for you."

"For me?" Quark clutched his heart, blushing. "With what?"

"Hah! Why, are you concerned that I got it using illegal methods?" Odo teased. "That would be a bit hypocritical of you, wouldn't it?"

"Um, if you guys don't mind, I think maybe I will go rest up a bit after all," Alda said quickly, running away before things could get too sappy. Alda had never been the emotional type.

Odo opened the bag to show Quark the earring. It was the same one, all right… all shiny and beautiful. Quark grabbed the earring and studied it to check that it was genuine. If he was going to be selling it later, he wouldn't care if it was fake, but he wasn't planning on selling this. It was real, though. He put it on right away.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"It's the least I could do for the father of my child," Odo muttered. Quark couldn't tell whether or not his voice was supposed to be sarcastic. "And seeing as Alda isn't watching…"

In a quick, fluid- figuratively and literally- motion, Odo wrapped his arms around Quark and pulled him into a kiss. The earring jangled as Quark was lifted off the ground, squirming if only because of the suddenness of it all.

A lot of customers and employees alike started staring at them. As soon as he noticed, Odo set Quark down and acted like nothing had happened.

"Well," Quark muttered, flustered, "thanks for the earring."

"Don't mention it," said Odo. "Just make sure you don't let Alda push you around too much. Parents should at least have some control over their children."

"I'll keep that in mind," Quark mumbled, still stunned and red-faced, as Odo left the bar.

Alda's creation really had been a blessing. If that was what aliens combing your DNA could do for a relationship, maybe Quark should try to get ahold of those Snuzzelbians again sometime…

The end!


End file.
